There's a prepared food vendor at the farmers market that I buy chicken kabobs and salad from sometime on Saturdays for a quick and easy lunch for the daughters post gymnastics. This recipe turned out nothing like their kabobs but it gave me the idea. I think they say "marinated in coconut milk and thai spices" for the chicken.
I usually roast chicken with the skin on because it keeps the meat tender and the skin is so good when crispy. But for this, I wanted the meat to really soak up all the marinade so I had the butcher debone and skin the chicken legs and wrap the bones separately for the freezer for a later bone broth session. I placed the chicken on a wire rack for cooking so it wouldn't wallow in the marinade and get slimy. It got crisped on the outside but still tender within.
I had a last minute flash of inspiration to add the raisins and cilantro for the rice. I didn't have any at home so thank goodness for neighbors because they both really added a lot of flavor. Don't skip these two. You'll need a food processor for to make the cauliflower rice. I think you can buy ready made cauliflower rice in a lot of stores now if you'd like to skip that step.
I loved the way this turned out and one daughter loved it too. The other was so so on it but ate it none the less. I'll count that as a win.
Cauliflower turns out to be a powerhouse foods despite its pale color. It is full of glucosinolates which are a sulfur containing phytonutrient that supports the detoxification pathway, digestive and immune systems. It's also rich in multiple antioxidants and high in Vitamin C.
Serves 4 with leftovers for next day.
Ingredients
For the chicken
4 chicken legs, deboned and skinned
1 can full fat coconut milk, divided
1 TBS turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the cauliflower rice
1 medium and 1 small cauliflower or one large
1 cup shelled or frozen peas
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon coconut sugar
juice of 1 -2 limes
salt and cilantro leaves
Method
The night before you plan to make this marinate the chicken. In a large glass refrigerator bowl add half a can of the coconut milk, the turmeric, cinnamon and ginger. Whisk together. Add the chicken pieces and be sure they are submerged. Cover and refrigerate over night or for several hours. Place the last half of coconut milk in a glass jar and save for when you are making the meal.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment. Place a wire rack on top. Place the chicken on the wire rack. Bake the chicken until it starts getting a little brown and crispy on the edges and the meat is cooked through - about 30-40 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, pour the marinade from the chicken into a sauce pan and add the rest of the coconut milk you saved from the night before. Bring the coconut sauce to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes on low - medium heat. Meanwhile, cut the cauliflower in to large chunks and place in the bowl of your food processor with an S blade. Pulse half the cauliflower until it is a crumbly texture like rice. Dump it into a large bowl and repeat with second half of cauliflower. You do this in two batches so you don't over pulse it and turn it to mush.
In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 TBS avocado oil. Dump in the cauliflower. Rinse out the bowl so you don't have to clean it later. Stir the cauliflower until it becomes warm and starts to soften. Then add the peas and raisins and stir until all is warm. Turn off the heat.
Pull the chicken from the oven and cut into chunks or slices. Add the coconut mixture and sugar to the rice and stir well until all is warmed and well mixed. Place cauliflower rice in a bowl and top with chicken. Serve with cilantro leaves, a healthy dose of lime juice and salt to taste.